


yuletide hat

by SparkleMoose



Series: Royal Bastard AU [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Christmas Special, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28285278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparkleMoose/pseuds/SparkleMoose
Summary: “I thought it was Merry Yule.”“Merry isn’t as cool.”Or a small family get together on Yule featuring one bastard prince, a former villain bent on breaking the world, two glaives, and a medical student.You know; family.
Series: Royal Bastard AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1005168
Comments: 8
Kudos: 53





	yuletide hat

“Bitchin’ Yule,” Selena calls out as she pushes the door of Ace’s apartment open, “I brought gifts!”

“Bitchin’ Yule?” Nyx asks as he meets his sister at the door, taking her coat and ushering her deeper into his and Ace’s home, “I thought it was Merry Yule.”

“Merry isn’t as cool.” Selena dumps the presents she’s brought at the foot of the table that holds the four candles that their little family lights each Yule to honour their parents. The women that had raised them may have passed but they will always have a place at their table and in their homes.

Yule for the people of Galahd is a time of reflection after all, a time of light and love, family and faith, and a time to consider and celebrate the lives of those who had been lost in the years before. The candles they light on this day are to invite the spirits of their dead back to their home, to let those who have passed on know that they will always be welcome.

“Heathens,” Ardyn calls them from where he’s sprawled on the couch, “It’s Happy Yule, obviously.”

“It was Happy Yule a hundred years ago,” Selena retorts and sprawls on the couch next to Ardyn, “You’re just old.”

Ardyn gasps, as though he’s been terribly wounded and clutches at the spot over his heart. “How you wound me, dear niece,” Ardyn mourns, “Calling such a young and spry man such as myself old, who taught you manners?”

“You did.”

Ardyn laughs.

“Did I?” He asks, “I recall your brothers having a hand in that.”

“We did no such thing,” Libertus says, entering the room with a tray of drinks in hand. At the doubtful look cast his way he amends his statement. “Nyx and I didn’t. Ace however, taught Selena how to say fuck so I think he’s to blame for this.”

“Lies!” Ace’s voice echoes from the kitchen, “I did no such thing.”

“No you did,” Nyx disagrees, a twinkle in his eye, “Selena didn’t know the word fuck until you called Ardyn an ‘ugly hat motherfucker’ in front of us. She then went home and would say nothing but motherfucker for the rest of the day.”

Laughter rings out from the kitchen and Ace enters the living room with a tray of food. A grin on his lips as he places this tray next to the one Libertus brought out and placed on the coffee table.

“You have to admit,” Ace says, casting a teasing look toward his uncle, “That Ardyn’s hats are terrible.”

“I,” Ardyn says primly with a red velvet hat with white trim on his head, “Have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I say you were a pointed wizard hat on Halloween.”

“It was fashionable.”

“It cost three hundred gil at Mogmart.”

“And was worth every cent.”

Ace rolls his eyes and takes his place on the loveseat next to Nyx. Libertus is seated on the armchair they bought specifically so their friends could lounge on it. It had been money well spent, if the fact that whenever more than one of their friends came over scuffles broke out over who got to sit in the chair.

So far, Axis has won the right to the chair each time and Ace has considered more than once investing in a daybed merely so his friend has a place to lounge without pissing off the others. Though knowing Axis, he would scorn whatever Ace bought and claim the chair regardless.

Nyx tugs Ace closer to him until Ace is curled up in the crook of Nyx’s arm.

“Feeling affectionate?” Libertus teases them, a soft smile on his lips as he watches his friends. Nyx scoffs.

“Shut up, Libs,” he says and causes the room to laugh with him, “Not my fault Ace is a tried and true heating pad.”

“I’m not that warm,” Ace’s protest falls on deaf ears, as Nyx just pulls him even closer still, “You’re just cold.”

Nyx opens his mouth to respond but Selena beats him to it.

“If you say anything sappy, Nyx,” she warns, “I will beat you to death with a pillow.”

“You wouldn’t,” Nyx disagrees, “Not when I have Ace here.”

“That’s because Ace is innocent,” Selena threatens, “You, however, I would maim.”

Ardyn watches the exchange between siblings fondly and shakes his head.

“Now, now,” he says, “There will be no murder on this lovely Yule night. Rather, there will be presents opening.” As Ardyn says this his armiger opens around them and various wrapped boxes fall out of it, the pile becoming so large that it nearly covers every inch of floor in Ace’s living room.

“Uncle,” Ace says, “Holy shit.”

“There is nothing holy about shit.”

Ace glares at him, and Ardyn merely grins and chucks a stuffed tonberry at his head.

“For you,” Ardyn says, merrily, “Bitchin’ Yule!”

* * *

“You went overboard,” Ace chides gently as he walks Ardyn out, “We didn’t need anything Uncle.”

Ardyn pauses, gold eyes fixed firmly on Ace. A crack of the armiger and a hat, one of Ardyn’s old ones cleaned and good as new, falls on top of Ace’s head as they step out into the snow covered street.

Snowflakes fall from the sky, Ace blinks up at his uncle, wide-eyed and shocked.

“Ardyn-” Ace starts and Ardyn presses a finger to his lips and Ace falls silent.

“There is nothing I can give you that will amount to what you have given me,” Ardyn says, “You have given me a chance at life, Aether, a chance to fully live. There is nothing I can do that will ever suffice to show my gratitude toward you for what you did.”

When Ace looks up at Ardyn, his face is soft.

“I don’t need anything from you,” Ace says, “I did what I did because-” Ace stops, takes a breath before continuing, “-because I love you. You’re family, Ardyn. I could not let a prophecy nor a God take you from me.”

Ardyn’s chuckle is gentle. “I adore you,” Ardyn says, “You are my son in everyway that matters. I would have ruined this world if anything happened to you.”

“No,” Ace says and his voice is gentle, “You wouldn’t have, not if I asked you not to.”

“You’ve too much faith in me.”

“Yes, but love makes us all fools doesn’t it?” Ace smiles up at Ardyn. “Thank you,” Ace says, for everything.”

“I should be thanking you.”

“You already have,” Ace laughs, “Just by being here this evening. I am keeping this hat though.”

Ardyn grins. “Of course.”


End file.
